Newborn baby girl found in garbage can in Kearns

Newborn baby girl found in garbage can in Kearns

Authorities found a newborn baby girl abandoned in a garbage can in Kearns early Tuesday morning. Detective Jared Richardson with the Unified Police Department said the baby was born just a few days ago and is now at Primary Children's Medical Center in extremely critical condition.

Neighbors find newborn in their trash can

A Probable Cause statement filed by police stated "the birth mother was afraid to tell her parents about her pregnancy. She said she discarded the baby in hopes that it would die and solve her problems."

UPDATE: Friday, September 5. According to Unified police the baby's condition has been upgraded to fair.

UPDATE: Alicia Marie Englert, 24, gave birth to the baby on Sunday. Police say the newborn had not received any medical care or food.

Investigators say they learned through the investigation that Englert threw the baby into the trash can. A Probable Cause statement filed by police stated "the birth mother was afraid to tell her parents about her pregnancy. She said she discarded the baby in hopes that it would die and solve her problems."

The baby is being treated at the hospital and is in protective custody pending further investigation.

The baby is still in critical condition as of Wednesday morning.

Englert is being booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on a charge of Attempted Murder.

KEARNS, Utah (ABC 4 Utah) - The 24-year-old mother whose newborn was found in a trash can may have learning disabilities.Early Tuesday morning, neighbors found a newborn baby girl abandoned in a garbage can in Kearns early Tuesday morning. Detectives with Unified Police soon learned the infant's mother lived next door. Sheriff Jim Winder says the 24-year old mother put the newborn in the neighbors trash can at around 6 a.m. and walked away. An hour later, neighbors found the baby.

"She heard something that sounded like a cat," says Adora Nemitz who talked with the neighbors who found the infant. "They told me they found a baby out of the garbage can. I don't even talk. I was just shocked."

Detective Jared Richardson with the Unified Police Department said the baby was born Sunday and is now at Primary Children's Medical Center in extremely critical condition.

But hours later, the newborn's condition worsened.

"The information we've received from our detectives at the hospital is that the condition of this infant has deteriorated," says Sheriff Jim Winder. "It was transported in critical condition and it is now in extremely critical condition and it's been described as really fighting for the infant's life."

Late Tuesday, a woman who claimed to be the 24-year old's sister told ABC 4 News that her sister has mental issues."She doesn't think like a 24-year old," said the woman who wouldn't offer her name. "She has like some learning disabilities."

The woman also claimed her sister didn't know she was pregnant.

Det. Jared Richardson believes the baby was only in the garbage for about an hour. Detectives aren't sure where the baby was born and if others were involved. Sheriff Winder says the newborn's injuries were based on a lack of medical care.

"There aren't any secondary injuries," says the sheriff. "It appears it was simply a lack of care."

So far, no one has been arrested. But at mid-day the 24-year old was removed from the home. Detectives escorted her out of the home and she was covered in a jacket to not reveal her identity.

"She has not been arrested," says the sheriff. "She is going to get medical attention."

Unified Police spokesman Ken Hansen says the doctors will not only examine her physically but she will be mentally evaluated.

But despite the status of her competency, the sheriff says there will be criminal charges but to what extent depends on the baby's condition.

The sheriff also clarified the gender of the newborn. He says earlier reports by paramedics indicated the infant was a male. But he says the newborn is a girl.

Utah's Safe Haven law aims to prevent people abandoning babies. More information about that law can be found here.

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